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President Donald Trump hosted another meeting of the White House task force on FIFA ahead of next year’s World Cup in North America, and a new initiative will be implemented for ticket holders traveling into the United States.
The FIFA task force announced a new system that will allow World Cup ticket holders to receive priority interviews to obtain visas.
Trump spoke about what is being called the FIFA passport while standing with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. While announcing the priority appointment scheduling system, Trump also noted that the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security have worked “tirelessly” to “ensure that soccer fans from around the world are properly vetted and can easily come to the United States next summer.”
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President Trump, seen with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, FIFA Senior Advisor for Global Strategy and Governance Carlos Cordeiro and Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Ill., delivers remarks during a meeting of the White House Task Force on the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the White House on November 20, DC, Washington DC. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“I have directed my administration to do everything in its power to make the 2026 World Cup an unprecedented success. I think it will be the biggest and we will set records in ticket sales,” Trump added.
Infantino added that FIFA expects “between five and 10 million people to come to America from… all over the world to enjoy the World Cup” next year.
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“With this FIFA pass, we can ensure that those who buy a ticket who are legitimate football fans or soccer fans… they can come and participate in the World Cup under the best conditions – starting from getting their visa and then of course coming to the country to enjoy,” Infantino said in the Oval Office.
Trump strongly urged World Cup ticket holders from around the world to apply for their US visas “immediately.”
President Trump speaks during a meeting with the White House Task Force on the 2026 FIFA World Cup on November 17, 2025 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC (Brendan Smialowski/AFP)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also present in the Oval Office and told reporters that “over 400 additional consular officers” have been deployed to embassies around the world to handle World Cup-related visa requests.
“Our advice to everyone is: If you have a ticket to either game, apply as soon as possible. If you haven’t done so as soon as possible, don’t wait until the last minute,” Rubio said. “Your ticket is not a visa; it does not guarantee entry into the United States, it guarantees you an expedited appointment.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President Trump pose during a summit on Gaza in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13, 2025. (Yoan Valat/Pool/AFP)
The World Cup, which will be held in Canada, Mexico and the United States, is expected to attract six billion viewers worldwide, according to Infantino. He also expects a billion people to watch the World Cup draw on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC
